Toe structure for full-fashioned hosiery



Dec. 22, 1953 J. A. PONS TOE STRUCTURE FOR FULLFASHIONED- HOSIERY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 50, 1952 JOHN A. PON-S INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 22, 1953 J. A. PONS 2,663,175

TOE STRUCTURE FOR FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY .lled Jan. 30, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ma Ma I W1, W4 W2 we w-5 M7 5 w-m 0-19 Wu 4.. .uuuuua w ma I64 V D JOHN A. P0/v5,

INVENTOR.

5-3 j BY -M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 22, 1953 res fPAT-ENT oserrcr.

7 'LTDE ISIBRUGTURELFOR FULL-FASHION ED "HOSIERY AszRonasMnrganton,

-.-man Eull xtFashioned Mills, 111e,, Morganton,

tC. a-oorporation of North-'Earolina Application January 30, I952, Serial*N0.269 ;0'33

' ElEGlaim. (01. 66-179) v This-invention mlates to'fu'll ias'hioned hosiery and more especially-to an improved toe structure itherefor.

:In order to produce a stocking "design which is ofweryr pleasing appearance, "when =worn by Womien having :o pemtoed s'hoes, a rectilinear or rdiam'ond shaped :area hasioeen provided at "the foremcst portion ofthe toe which was of a "conitrasting shade--01 color to that of the adjacent toe and body portions or "the stocking. *Heretofore, the rectilinear or diamond-shaped area has been formed by dyeing or printing-'the-area'on fthe toe of "the stocking or by plating-a reinforcing zyarn 'o'f contrasting color to the-yarn em- -ployed in thefoot'and body portions ofthe-sto'ckiing i at the toe of the-stocking to producethe rectilinea-r =ordiamond-shaped area. The forming of rectilinear or diamond 'shaped'areas in'the e of:a' sto'eking by"dyeing-erstamping the area :has necessarily increased the cost of-manuiacture 40'! the -stocloing and the fort-ning of suchan area inithe toe ofa 's'todk'ing by plating an ornamental warn of diiferent color-or shade over the "body *yarn has been ='objecticnabledueto "the 's'ha'dow efiect caused by the-bodyyarn being knit inthe ssame wales and =ceur'ses as the orna-mentaliyarn, particularly when the stockings are made from relatively fine yarns, such'as'n-ylon orsilk. "It is practically impossible to control plating of U119 :yarn :over another because either yarnmay' 'be U .knit on the outside :ofthe-other when knittingon full fashioned machines of the type currently available.

It'is therefore an object of this invention to :pr-ovide'a rectilinear or diamond shaped area' at the toe'o'f a full fashioned'stockingby knitting said area from a yarn -independently -o:f'-'the-yarn :or yarns 'from which adjacent-portions of the stocking'are knit and interknit'ting the yarn "in the adjacent portions 'o'f-th'e stocking with: the yarn employed in the-rectilinear or'diamondshaped area in overlapping relation atgthe. 'jiunoture of the rectilinear or 'diamond shapedaarea with the adjacent portions of the stocking.

"Thus the stockin may heeoonomicailly pro duced and the rectilinear or ldianmnd-shaped area in the toe. of 'thestocking Willbe. of .a1c1ear contrasting color to the adjacent portions iofthe stocking and devoid of any shadow eilec't.

Some of the objects of the'invention .having en stated, other objects will appear as "the description proceeds, when taken in' connection with the accompanying drawings, in which "Figure 1 is a'view of the heeLdns-tep, sole and improved-stocking is formed "and being ofthe type wherein the toeof the stocking is subsequently'seamed rather than being looped;

Figure? is aside elevationof the seamed stoolsingpas formed from thestocking blank shown in Figur "-1, omittingthe 1 leg and welt portions of of "the stocking;

Figure-3 is a greatly enlarged illustration showing the" arrangement ofthe-sti-tches atthe juncture of "the diamond-shaped-area-at the toe of "the stockin'g with the instep of the stocking.

Referring -n1ore specifically to the-drawings, the numeral i0 indicates the instep or the body portion of a full fashioned stockingand which is knit-from a body yarn. The stocking *also- 00mprises high splicedportions- H and [2 which extend'downwardly "in Figures i and and are widened to form heel tabs I3 aud tl. The high -'spliced-=por'tions H andw and hee1tabs F3 "and M "are usually knit from-a reinforcing yarn plated over the-body 'yarn and wherein 'themou-rses formed "from the body yarn =ma-y extend from "sewage tosewage-of the high spliced portions H and I2 and the'heeltahs I'3 and 'I-E.

'It is prefera'blejin the present instance, that the high spliced portions I and-1'2 and the heel tabs F3 and M are knit from an independent yarn of coritrastingrdlor to that of the yarn employed in knitting the body or instep-portion "F8 of, the stocking. In the latter instance, 'it is evident that the yarn employed in' knitting the-high sp'li-cedpportions "H and 12 and the he'el tabs i3 and I 4 would be "in'terknitte'd in overlapping'relation with the'body yarnatits juncture withth'e instep portion H] e of the stocking.

The fabric is-then narrowed to 'form'sol'e portions ---'l 5and -16 which may be knit-from arcinforcing yarn plated over the body-yarn but "are preferably knitf-rom -a'--rela tivelyheavyyarn, such as-cotton-yarn, independently of th body yarn, and' the yarn employed in knitting the sole portions i5 and 1-5 is knit in overlapping relation to thebodyjyarn fora few Wales at the junc'tures of the instep ""Hi and the sole portions "f5 and i 5 of the stocking.

' "The' faloricis then narrowed-at oppositeselvages inthe usual *mannerto form outer tee portions -='l-1 and 48 which are-preferably, but not necessarily, l -nitted'.f-rom same yarn emplcyed'in knitting-' thesoleportionsi5 and t6. usual parts are full fashioned stocking have heretofore toa portions of a stocking blank from-whichthe 55 tially rectilinear "or "diamond shaped area 21,

which may be termed an intermediate toe portion of the stocking, is knit from a different yarn from the adjacent outer toe portions l1 and Hi, this different yarn preferably being of a contrasting shade or color to that of the yarn employed in the sole and outer toe portions l5, l6 and I1, I8 and also preferably being of a contrasting color to that of the yarn employed in knitting the instep |0. However, it is evident that the yarn employed in knitting the intermediate toe portion 2 may be of the same color as either the instep portion H! or the sole portions l5 and IE3, or both. However, since the object of the invention is to provide the intermediate toe portion 2| of a clear contrasting color to that of adjacent portions of the stocking, the yarn employed in knitting the portion 2| should be of a contrasting color to that of the yarn employed in knitting adjacent portions of the stocking.

In order to enhance the margin of the upper portion of the intermediate toe portion 2|, it is preferable that the proximate portions of the sole portions l5 and H; are widened so their proximate edges are disposed in close proximity to each other at the edge of the diamond-shaped area 2 I. Since it is preferable that the sole ortions l5 and I6 and the outer toe portions l1 and I8 are knit from a yarn independently of the yarn employed in knitting the instep portion |I of the stocking, the enlarged fragmentary view of the stocking shown in Figure 3 shows the adjacent areas ID, 5 and I6 knitted from independent yarns. However, it is evident that the body yarn or yarns employed in knitting the instep It! may extend into the areas l5 and It with the yarns employed in knitting all three of the areas Ni, ii and I6 being knitted in overlapping relation in the sole portions l5 and I6.

For purposes of description, the yarn employed in knitting the instep portion l shall be termed hereinafter as a body yarn Illa, the yarns employed in knitting the sole portions l and |6 shall be termed as first and second sole yarns |5a and |6a respectively, and the yarn employed in knitting the intermediate toe portion 2| shall hereinafter be termed as an ornamental yarn 2 a.

Since the uppermost point of the diamondshaped area 2| is located at the center of the stocking or midway between the selvages of the stocking blank shown in Figure 1, this centermost point of the stocking blank is shown as a dividing wale D in Figure 3. Those wales shown in Figure 3 disposed to the right of the dividing wale D are indicated at W-l through W-ln and the wales shown disposed to the left of the dividing wale D are indicated at W-l' through W-Q'. The courses shown in Figure 3 are indicated at C-l through C-| 9.

It will be noted in Figure 3 that the widening of the sole portions l5 and I6 is formed by knitting inwardly from opposite selvages to given wales, such as the wales W-5 and W-5' for a predetermined number of courses, there being four courses shown in Figure 3, such as the courses C-2, C-3, C-4 and 0-5, and knitting from the body yarn Illa between the adjacent edges of the courses formed from the yarns [5a and lea, overlapping the yarns lea and |5a at one side of the instep ortion l0 and overlapping the yarns Mia and Mia at the other side of the instep portion ID for approximately four wales. Another group of courses is then knit wherein the areas l5 and I6 are widened by two wales and the width of the instep portion In is decreased by two wales, accordingly.

Now, as the courses approach the apex of the diamond-shaped area 2|, the terminal loops at the inner ends of the courses formed in knitting the sole portions l5 and it are disposed in the wales W-l and W-l respectively, and are joined by the dividing wale D made from the body yarn Illa. At this point, which includes the courses 0-9 through C-l 3, the terminal loops of the body yarn Ina are spaced substantially from the dividing wale D and are shown in Figure 3 as being spaced four wales on each side of the dividing wale D. Thus, the body yarn Illa is knit in overlapping relation with the sole yarns |5a and |6a in the adjacent portions of courses C-9 through C-l3 and the sole yarns |5a and |6a are not knit in overlapping relation at any time during the knitting of the stocking.

Now, in order to securely anchor the stitches formed from the ornamental yarn 2 la with the stitches formed from the body yarn lfla, the ornamental yarn 2 la is knit simultaneously with the body yarn Hia in both the courses C-|2 and C-|3 throughout the length of the portions of the courses formed by the latter yarns. In the course C'|4 and subsequent courses, only the ornamental yarn 2|a is knit in the wales W-l' and W4 while the portions l5 and I5 formed by the yarns |5a and Mia are narrowed so the terminal loops of the portions of the courses formed by the respective yarns |5a and Mia are knit simultaneously with the ornamental yarn 2|a in the course C-M.

It will be noted that the area knit from the ornamental yarn 2 hr is gradually widened by increasing the number of wales in which the ornamental yarn 2|a is knit by two wales in each successive course and, accordingly, the areas l5 and I6 knitted from the respective yarns lie and |6a are narrowed by decreasing the number of wales in which the yarns |5a and |6a are knitted from course to course relative to the centermost or dividing wale D. Of course, as each course is knit, the stitches formed from the yarns |5a and |6a are knit in overlapping relation to stitches formed from the ornamental yarn 2|a for a few wales at the junctures of the areas l5, 2| and Thus, the rectilinear or diamond-shaped intermediate toe portion 2| is knit from a yarn independent of the yarns employed in knitting the instep Hi and the sole portions l5 and Hi.

The lower portion of the rectilinear or diamond-shaped intermediate toe portion 2| is knitted in a similar manner to that in which the upper portion is knit, as shown in Figure 3, with the exception that the number of loops formed from the ornamental yarn 2 la, employed in knitting the diamond-shaped area 2|, decrease from course to course from the widest portion of the intermediate toe portion 2|, while the number of loops formed from the yarns led and |6a in the outer toe portions H and 58 increase relative to the centermost wale from course to course until the rectilinear or diamond-shaped area 2| is formed. It will be noted that, in this instance, a toe seaming tab 22 is formed at the juncture of the outer toe portions I! and H3 at the foremost point of the stocking and, although this seaming tab does not necessarily constitute a part of the present invention, it may be formed either by knitting all three of the yarns |5a, I50! and 2|a in overlapping relation while narrowing or the uniform narrowing of the lower portion of the rectilinear or diamond-shaped area may con tinue down to a point and only the yarns |5a and -lwi l6a knitted in overlapping relation to form the seaming tab 22.

It is evident that, after the blank has been formed in the manner described and as shown in Figure 1, the selvages of the blank are then seamed in the usual manner to form the stocking substantially as shown in Figure 2.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved toe structure for full fashioned stockings wherein a rectilinear or diamond-shaped area is provided at the center of the toe portion of the stocking and is knitted from a yarn independently of the yarn employed in knitting the adjacent portions of the stocking, such as the outer toe portions I! and I8 and the instep portion Iii. Thus, when the ornamental yarn 2 la is of a different or contrasting color to the yarn employed in knitting the adjacent portions of the stocking there is no yarn interknit with the yarn from which the rectilinear or diamond-shaped area 2| is formed to cause a cloudy appearance in the area 2|.

Also, the improved toe structure is such that no changes are necessary in the usual type of knitting machines and the stockings may be produced more economi ally relative to stockings which have heretofore been provided with an area similar to the area 2| in the toe of the stocking, by means other than knitting the area, such as by stamping, dyeing or by the use of decalcomanias or other means.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.

I claim:

In a full fashioned stocking having sole and outer toe portions each side thereof and the sole and outer toe portions at each side of the stockings being knit from a separate yarn, a diamondshaped area knit from a yarn independently of the yarns employed in knitting the sole and outer toe portions and being disposed at the foremost point of the toe of the stocking between the sole and toe portions, said yarn of the diamondshaped area including a few wales in its course at its end furthest from the point of the toe, the number of wales in subsequent courses being increased either side of a given wale from course to course to a predetermined point and then being decreased from course to course to the foremost point of the stocking, the courses in the diamond-shaped area being disposed in the same planes as courses in the sole' and outer toe portions of the stocking, the number of wales in the sole portions being decreased from course to course relative to said given wale to said predetermined point and the number of wales in the outer toe portions being increased from course to course relative to said given wale to the foremost point of the toe of the stocking, and terminal loops of the courses formed in the sole and outer toe portions of the stocking being interknitted with the terminal loops in the corresponding courses of the diamond-shaped area.

JOHN A. PONS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,789,450 Quinn Jan. 20, 1931 2,002,888 Gastrich May 28, 1935 2,081,186 Schletter May 25, 1937 2,181,836 Smetana Nov. 28, 1939 

